Thanks for the inspirations of Paul, Tabitha, the Strangers, and your defeat over Babylon. I pray you would help me do everything for you... that I would become like them by following you.
Love,
Acts 9:19b-42
Saul went at once and started preaching about Jesus. He didn't wait till he knew all arguments possible, and he didn't wait till people had forgotten that he had been persecuting the church. He started at once. He didn't care that they were all confused and making comments about how he's "switched sides."
And already he has to escape the city to save his life. He had to go over the wall in a basket instead of walking through the gates. Ridiculous.
And then he has to try to gain the trust of the Christians in Jerusalem that he had been persecuting. But Barnabas helped to vouch for him, and he made quite an impact in Jerusalem, until things got too dangerous there, so they sent him back to his hometown.
What a way to start your walk with God! Paul is obviously a debater. He likes the intellectual side of Jesus, even though his first experience with Jesus was a blinding light on a road... no real arguments or three point speeches.
Ok, now on to Peter. Peter heals a paralyzed guy which turns many people to God. And he raised a woman from the dead. This woman (Tabitha/Dorcas...I'm going to stick with Tabitha) was a Christian and was always doing awesome things. Her testimony in that community was astounding.
Hebrews 11:13-16
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. Even when they knew they weren't going to receive the promise, they kept going... And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. That would explain it. They kept going because: People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. We also need to be longing for our home country! We ARE strangers on this earth. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Revelation 18
Wow, this is going to be hard not to repeat myself. I guess I'll not focus so much on the actual "plot," but look at the "characters" here. There's God. He is a judge. He is mighty. He is just and righteous and he is avenging his children in Righteous anger. He is all powerful and defeated Babylon easily. Babylon was basically Satan's city. All the sidekicks/evil men who gained from her mourn her, but heaven rejoices. No pity here, this is the beginning of the ultimate showdown between good and evil. It's going to be epic. And evil will never rise again!
I'll have to do two Proverbs tomorrow, I have to go to work now.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not men!